Rice bags, in bulk. Food for the poor, maybe? Unknown objects (in the back). USA is helping, or are they hurting? Politics impact power, both white and not white, the other gets “help”, but also pity, and maybe even tragedy.
This image, at first glance, tells a simplistic story. You might focus first on the USAID logo branding one bag, while the other is marked only with age. In the background, perhaps you also wonder what those object(s) might be.
The picture might appear simple, even boring. But as you begin to look beyond the details, simplicity unravels itself into something more. It might be the blood stains that stain the piled clothes. These clothes, stripped from the deceased, stealing not only their lives but their dignity. This image doesn’t depict violence but rather is violent, telling the story of murder and anger for those whose voices have been silenced. Every detail in the photo is meticulously done, from the shadowing that brings your eye to the AID to the blurred clothes that provide a sense of ambiguity at first. Maybe the average photo shouts one-thousand words, but this image whispers millions.
“Rwanda Genocide Memorial” by configmanager is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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